grazing management Flashcards
What is rangeland
PotEPPG f UNGULATES
Portions of the earth primarily providing grazing for
ungulates
Characteristics of Rangeland
La La La Sta Va
- Land that provides forage to grazing animals
- Land in it’s the natural state
- Land that is non-arable
- Stable
- Vast areas that require long-term planning
Range Management - What the is it?
Application of scientific principles to:
- Protect the resource (soil, plants and animals)
- Provide a livelihood for the owner/operator
8 things important about rangeland?
AP W AND W H for W T and W C,M,O,G Aes B CS
- Animal Products
- Water & Watershed
Protection - Habitat for Wildlife
- Timber & Wood
Products - Coal, Minerals , Oil &
Gas - Aesthetics
- Biodiversity
- Carbon Sequestration
(Ecological Goods and Services)
Definitions of Grazing
A of A F on GPM
Does it have to be a pasture?
the act of animals feeding on green plant
material
• No, can be within a pasture field or other areas
where forage is available
Why is Grazing Important?
- important resource
- environmental benefits
- utilize vegetation
Rangelands are an important resource for livestock grazing. In Alberta, it is estimated that rangelands provide forage to about 14 per cent of the Alberta beef cattle herd.
The environmental benefits of well managed pasture, include reduced soil erosion; improved air and water quality; better plant diversity, vigor and production; and improved fish and wildlife habitat. … The overall soil quality improves with improved grazing management.
Grazing animals are able to utilize vegetation, a resource that humans cannot breakdown
Grasslands in Canadian Prairies are dominated by…
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lrf
wt
Grasslands are dominated by grass species
which are adapted to areas with low rainfall
and warm temperatures
Why is Grazing important?
GA
B…..C
B and C … EE
FS “-“
• Our grasslands were developed under grazing
animals (specifically the bison) and fire
• When bison were almost eradicated cattle
replaced them
• Bison and Cattle are considered to be
ecological equivalents
• Fire suppression has had a negative impact on
our grasslands
Grazing and Fire
Agronomic Crops
GinCwF
GofA
MotGaUAC
TRNG
• Grazing in combination with fire play major
roles in the development of grasslands
• Growing of agronomic or tame crops has also
affected the grasslands
• Much of the grasslands are utilized for
agronomic crops
• The remaining native grasslands are limited to
areas of rough terrain or have other issues
that impact traditional agriculture
Why is Grazing important?
same stuff
• Grazing in combination with fire play major
roles in the development of grasslands
• Growing of agronomic or tame crops has also
affected the grasslands
• Much of the grasslands are utilized for
agronomic crops
• The remaining native grasslands are limited to
areas of rough terrain or have other issues
that impact traditional agriculture
Species used for graxzing…
two major groups
NS
AS
he vegetation utilized for grazing can be classified into two major groups – Native species • Grasses • Forbs • Woody – Agronomic species • Grasses • Legumes • Others • The majority of species are herbaceous and perennial
Plant factors to consider grazing
A/T
NS
aCorD
-GtTS
• Agronomics/Tame species have been selected for
their fast establishment , quick regrowth &
palatability
• Native species have developed under our “tough”
prairie climate, but regrow later in the spring
• A complimentary or deferred grazing system
– Grazing the tame species earlier in the season
alleviates stress and overgrazing of the native species
Classification of Native species
– Decreaser - increaser N,GT, Un,un --invaders --E/A/T generally a sign of decreasing native range condition
• From an ecological perspective, native species can
be classified as follows
– Decreaser
• Native, palatable, grazing sensitive, animals first choice, bunchgrasses
– Increaser
• Native, grazing tolerant, may be unpalatable, unavailable
(low growing), poisonous, begin to take over if decreases
overgrazed
– Invaders
• Exotic/agronomic /tame or annual plants, generally a sign of decreasing native range condition
Effect of Grazing and overgrazing on Plant Species
• Under normal conditions 50% carry over
ensures good regrowth for plants
Function of Grazing
2
• Grazing maintains the plants in the active
growth cycle
• If the pasture plants are left they become
“decadent” and not as productive
Last stand of Tallgrass Prairie
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy21uSG3
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Pasture Conditioning
– Healthy
– Healthy with Problems
– Unhealthy
• Percentages of the dominant/climax plant community – Healthy • 75-100% – Healthy with Problems • 50-74% – Unhealthy • <50%
Stocking Rate
• Use of appropriate stocking rates based on the
condition of the pasture will maintain and can improve
the pasture condition
• Stocking rates are expressed as ??
• Expressed as Animal units/unit area (AU/Ha or AU/ac)
or Area/AUM (Ha/AUM or ac/AUM)
• AUM=?
• AUD=?
Animal Units (AU’s)…..
• 1 Animal Unit = 1000lb of animal • The area of land allowed per animal unit for the entire grazeable period of the year Animal Unit Month Animal Unit Day
AU Equivelents
AU = Animal units
These are approximate values: – Cattle: • Weaned calves 0.50 • Yearling heifers & steers ? • Mature cow with or without unweaned calf 1.00 • Bulls (2 yrs and over) ? – Horses: • Yearlings ? • 2 yr olds 1.00 • 3+ yrs ?
- 67
- 75
- 50
- 50j
AU Equivalents
– Sheep & Goats • 5 weaned lambs, kids & yearlings 0.50 ? ? – Deer ? – Bison • Yearling ? • Mature cow ? • Mature bull ?
- 5 ewes or does with or without unweaned young 1.00
- 5 rams or bucks 1.50
deer
• 5 deer 1.00
bison
- 75
- 50
- 80
Summary G is important to MG oGDuGaF PC cb N,A, or C taNofGS SRaaMtDhmAcG in an A/F
• Grazing is important to maintain grasslands
• Our grasslands developed under grazing and
fire
• Pastures composition can be native,
agronomic or combinations
• There are a number of grazing systems
• Stocking rates are a mechanism to determine
how many animals can graze in an area/field
depending on the condition of the pasture
review
• Define an Animal Unit:
– 1000lbs or 500kgs
Review
• What is a decreaser species?
– Native, palatable, grazing sensitive, animals first
choice, bunchgrasses
What percent of Earth is considered rangeland?
What percent of the feed required for livestock comes from rangeland?
What percent for wild ungulates?
Approximately 50% of the earth’s land mass is
considered range
rangeland provides 75% of the feed required for domestic livestock,
almost 100% of that required by wild
ungulates
What do rangelands have to be managed with to become and remain environmentally friendly?
Be managed with sound ecological principles
Ranchers as environmental stewards have enabled what?
North American rangelands to be very productive
Name five characteristics of rangelands? L........F to G L.....NS L. .......n-a St V...........l-t p
Land that provides forage to grazing animals • Land in it’s natural state
• Land that is non-arable
• Stable
• Vast areas that require long-term planning
Various classes of livestock are considered grazers:
CHSGED llamas and alpacas
– Cattle – Horses – Sheep – Goats – Elk – Deer – Llamas – Alpacas – Etc.
How are poisonous plants classified?
Increaser
Why grazing is important.
What in combination with grazing plays a major role in development of grasslands?
The growing of what kind of crops has affected the grasslands?
What kind of crops are grasslands utilized for?
What kind of terrain are native grasslands limited to that impact traditional agriculture?
razing in combination with fire play major roles in the development of grasslands
• Growing of agronomic or tame crops has also affected the grasslands
• Much of the grasslands are utilized for agronomic crops
• The remaining native grasslands are limited to areas of rough terrain or have other issues that impact traditional agriculture
Plant factors to consider for grazing.
What characteristics are agronomists/tame species selected for?
their fast establishment , quick regrowth & palatability
Plant factors to consider for grazing.
T or F
Native species have been developed under our “tough” prairie climate, but regrow later in the Spring
• What is a complimentary or deferred grazing system
T
Grazing the tame species earlier in the season alleviates stress and overgrazing of the native species
Effect of grazing and overgrazing on plant species.
What percent carry-over ensures good regrowth for plants?
50%
Function of grazing
What happens to plants that are “left”?
They become decadent and not as productive.
T or F
Rangelands are an important resource for livestock grazing. In Alberta, it is estimated that rangelands provide forage to about 14 percent of the Alberta beef cattle herd.
True
T or F
Grasslands are never utilized for agronomic crops
False
T or F
Much of the grasslands are utilized for agronomic crops
True
What is a complimentary or deferred grazing system?
Grazing the tame species earlier in the season alleviates stress and overgrazing of the native species
T or F
rangeland provides 95% of the feed required for domestic livestock,
FALSE
75%
? provides 75% of the feed required for domestic livestock,
Rangeland
What term refers to:
Grazing the tame species earlier in the season alleviates stress and overgrazing of the native species
complimentary or deferred grazing system
Growing of ? or tame crops has also
affected the grasslands
agronomic
• Much of the ? are utilized for
agronomic crops
•
grasslands
Where are the non-agronomic crops of grassland limited to?
areas of rough terrain (or have other issues
that impact traditional agriculture)
Native species • Grasses ? ? – Agronomic species • Grasses •≈ • Others
- Forbs
- Woody
legumes
T or F the majority of agronomic species are herbaceous and perrenial
The majority of species are herbaceous and
perennial
Benefits of well managed pasture? RSE IAWQ BPDVP I F AND W H OVERALL...
1 reduced soil erosion;
2 improved air and water quality;
3 better plant diversity, vigor and production;
4 improved fish and wildlife habitat. …
5 The overall soil quality improves with improved grazing management.
Agronomics/Tame species have been selected for
their
fast establishment, quick regrowth &
palatability
1 Animal Unit = ?lb of animal
1000
